Best available buck chance, or best buck period?

[BassBoysLLP]

Bassboy, that my friend is impressive! I got catching up to do!

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Its definitely humbling at times. The unsuccessful encounters are season defining and crippling at the same time.

I cant wait for October

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[tim]

i said i wouldnt do it again this year(target a certain buck or 2) but ive been smitten again. ive got pics of hard antler now on the buck i been watching grow all season and its him or one other i havent seen in hard antler on my land. unless of course something bigger show up altogether. i will say i hunt a bunch of different farms though ,so i dont know what there holding this year. i do my cameras on my land only this year and plan to put a little more time there this year.

[MOBIGBUCKS]

I ate my tag the last 3 seasons and passed on a large number of bucks under my 130" limit I decided to hold out for. On bigger bucks circumstances always seemed to not work out for a killing shot I felt comfortable with.

This season I started thinking if maybe I am focussing too much on size and should pay more attention to getting it done when the opportunity presents itself. I haven't released an arrow on a deer since November 2009 so thought getting a kill under my belt, not necessarily on a slob buck, was important since it has been so long.

I think too many guys get the mindset that they need to kill a huge buck while hunting beast style. That can set you up for some heartbreak if you are accustomed to killing a deer every year.

This season I told myself if a good buck presents me a shot I am going to take him and not focus on the rack quite so much. I wasn't going to kill anything less than a 2 year old but instead kill something that is pretty decent for this area.

I am totally pleased with the buck I killed opening day and wouldn't change anything if it happened again. Next season I can up my standards a little more on a beast style kill and work my way up from here.

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I think Dewey pretty much sums up what I need to do this year. If a good one comes in I'm going to take the shot; I have three tags if you include the Rifle tag here in Missouri.

[Edcyclopedia]

I'd kill for a 130"

Literally.

X2

[Ruger]

Does will give you meat, stick to your plan when it comes to bucks. A good representative buck for the area is a trophy in my book.

[beaston]

Target/Goal buck for me.. Yeah, I eat alot of tags but I shoot Does for meat. We get to make our own Tags in Ohio so I been lookin for some Strawberry flavored paper.

[BassBoysLLP]

Target/Goal buck for me.. Yeah, I eat alot of tags but I shoot Does for meat. We get to make our own Tags in Ohio so I been lookin for some Strawberry flavored paper.

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[Stanley]

Lot of interesting thoughts.

[Stump]

I don't have the time, desire nor the quality/size of land to say that "I'm holding out for 1, 2 or 3 specific bucks". If something is walking into me, I'll make the decision right then and there if I want to take him or not.

[UntouchableNess]

I held out for my trailcam "target" buck one season. I hunted long and hard, putting in tons of stand time, passing some real nice bucks. My tag went unfilled, never saw the "target" all season. It really sucked the fun out of hunting for me and I won't do that again! Especially since I didn't run trailcams this year so I have no idea what is out there. If I like what shows up, it's getting stuck.

[Black Squirrel]

Like others here, I have passed some nice ones, waiting for a bigger one. I've eaten tag soup for 2 or 3 years now. And it's ok with me.

[live2hunt]

If I decide the 9point is a mature deer its a done deal. All I want is for the deer to reach its full potential anymore. I have killed my share of young deer now Its the old smart bucks that I deem a trophy.

[BassBoysLLP]

bump

[seazofcheeze]

Best available chance at a good buck. Most of the properties I hunt are small parcels and don't always have good or any buck bedding. If something close to size of the target animal(s) comes by, let it rip.

[Justin85]

Depends on the situation. Haven't shot a buck since 2008. Haven't had anything that trips my trigger within range. That said, the does have paid the price. That was all in NC. Liberal limits.

In MN, hunting one deer only areas, unless I hunt the metro....I'll likely hold out for a mature buck, no size limit as long as he's 4.5+. I think the stand time and watching deer come and go is equally as important as trigger time. I've had plenty of that.

That said, late season, I'm liable to let the bow eat for jerky purposes.

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